Bakura laid on the cool desert sand his hand over the gash in his stomach in a futile attempt to stop the bleeding. He stared up at the dark night sky as he felt the life slipping away from him. He wanted to yell, to curse the Gods for denying justice for his family but he couldn't. He barely had the strength to keep his eyes open as the darkness began to take over. He heard a dark chuckle.
"Do you want another chance." The dark voice called from the back of his mind. "Swear your soul to me and together we will defeat the pharaoh."
"Why do you want my soul?"
"I can't directly interact with the human world I need an intermediary to help me." He felt his eyes start to drift close he was running out of time.
"You promise that you can free their souls?"
"If I had all of the items I could then I do as you ask." Using the last of his strength to nod. The weight of the ring pressed down harder on him as he was engulfed in shadow.
Since that conversation with Zorc spent the next few millennia corrupting him and twisted his mind. Making the thief king forget his village that he had been fighting for in the first place. All that remained was a thirst for revenge and a hated for the pharaoh.
Every few decades the ring would fall into the possession of some hapless fool that the spirt would puppeteer using his host without discretion he tried to locate and collect the items. The spirit always ended up destroying his host before he was able to get anywhere useful and the process would start all over again. That was until the ring fell in the possession of a child, Ryou Bakura.
The spirit was furious at his luck. This host was useless and who knew how long after this one was used up till he found a new one. Nothing was going to get done with this host so the spirit decided to have some fun. When his host invited some of his friends to play his favorite Monster World game. The spirit took over, and put the children into comas.
After the kids were put into comas and his host was made the black sheep of his school he transferred to Domino high school. On the first day of class the spirit found it, the Millennium Puzzle. Over the millennium he would hear rumors of an item often he would be able to collect one or two items before his host died and he would have to start all over again. He had never come across even a hint about the puzzle, it was like it fell off the face of the earth. To finally come across it no the spirt was practically salivating.
Zorc and him had to come up with a plan. Their host was a problem. In any scenario, they needed for their host to get close to the owner of the puzzle. It seemed the spirt had already broken his host beyond usefulness his host spent his time at school alone afraid of what the spirit would do to any potential friends he mad. Well the spirit thought that simple would not do. If his host did not want to cooperate then he was going to have to get rid of him that night the spirt put Ryou's soul into one of his monster world figurine.
The spirt went to school pretending to be his host. He spent the whole day sucking up to Yugi and his friend trying to get their trust. The spirit invited the group to his host apartment to play monster world. He then put his plan in to action. The spirit set up the campaine but once it started he turned it into a shadow game.
Everything was going according to plan in a few short turns he would win and the puzzle would be his for the taking. That is what would have happened if he hadn't made the mistake of putting his host into the game. He has expected for it to act like a generic npc and to be little to no help. He had severally misjudged his host. His host had even managed to cause all of the spirt rolls to be roll critical failure. Even after the spirt stabbed his hand through one of the game castle steeples, his host still managed to find a way to ruing his roll by destroying the dice completely. Costing him the game and sending the sprit to the Shadow Realm.
That loss broke Zorc's control over the spirit. His consioness untangled for the dark god. In the shadow realm, the two became separate entities again. As the spirit laid in the swirling mist memories began to flood back to him. The smell of his mother baking bread, him playing with the other children in the stream near by the village, and looking up at the sky on clear night as his father told the stories the stars represented. the painful memories of how it all ended. He had completely forgotten why he had been so motivated. Why he had so much hatred for the pharaoh.
Sharing a mind with Zorc for millennia had robbed him of all of that. He knew that Zorc did not care about freeing the souls of his village. All Zorc wanted was to destroy the world. As the spirt processed all of this he saw two glowing red eyes staring down at him. When they were in the ring the spirit never fully grasped how large and how intimidating the demon was
"How the hell did you let this happen?"
"We underestimated our host how was I supposed to know he would be able to do any of that?" Zorc just growled at that. Zorc continued to glare at him, and the spirt could feel the demon trying to worm is way back into his mind. It was strange having his mind be his own again. The millennia that he had spent with Zorc had blended the two together. He always had part of his own mind but at some point he lost the ability to tell the difference.
After regaining his identity and his memories he was going to be dammed if he was going back to being a puppet. The spirit was able to put up a mental barrier to keep zorc out. Zorc began to claw harder at his mind "Did you forget that I own you."
Of course He didn't forget. "I have a plan on how to get our host to help us willingly." He did not call out zorc for the part he was playing in keeping his people trapped in the items. I didn't matter at this point. It was still the Pharaoh that had their souls cast into gold in the first place. He was in the same place regardless. If he did his part then Zorc would set them free. As soon as there was no more use for the items.
All he had to do was summon Zorc so that he could take over the world . what did he care about the world any way it never did a dame thing for him. Let the entire thing burn for all he cared. All he needed was for his village to be able to pass on . the spirt was intrupted from his thoughts by Zorc's dark chuckle
"You want to work with that pathetic weakling"
"He defeated us already and he's going to fight us every time we try to enact any of our plans it seems smarter to have him on our side." Zorc considered this
" How do you plan to do that" it was strange talking to Zorc before now they were almost the same person he could sence the barly contained rage that Zorc was felling at losing control of Bakura. he had to play his cards right if did not want zorc to take complete control over him agin. He wouldn't loss his family for a third time.
"tell him some sob story I don't know but he seems to have a martyrs complex judging form the way he sacrificed himself in the shadow game." Zorc seemed to be considering his proposal. The spirt paused he was going to have to play the next part very carefulling to get zorc to a gree to him not just being a mind slave any more "For him to trust us I have to tell im that you were responsible for all the shit we did and were destroyed after game, and you to stay in the back ground while I keep my own mind.
" That's not going to happen"
"He is never goi-"
"We don't need any help from a mortal If he starts becoming a problem then we despose of him, like we do with all of our host."
"That's obviously not been working for us so far." White hot pain sired into the spirts mind as Zorc forced his way into his mental barrier taking complete control again. Zorc made his way back to the ring but he found himself stuck there.
Apparently the shadow game had awoken latent magical abilities in their host that he was using to keep Zorc from summoning the item directly to Ryou keeping them stuck. The spirit had been able to regain enough of himself to be able to speak to Zorc
"This is not going to work please let me try." Zorc grumbled as he relased his control over the spirt he began to cause the item to glow and softly called out his host name the spirt had no idea if Ryou was even around to see this or if he had even bother to keep the ring at all. The spirt was lucky Ryou answered
"What do you want?"
"I need your help." The spirit said it came out more ernest that he had intended
" that why you tried to kill all of my friends? At that the spirt could feel Ryou's presence moving futher away.
"Wait! Please I'm sorry please just listen" the pure desperation in the sprit's plea made Ryou stop and decided to listen to the spirit. He tried to think up some elaborate lie to tell Ryou, but all he could thing about was his family. Memories or fire and smoke choked him up preventing him from speaking he could feel Zorc smug expression as he watched from his place in the ring as he readied to take back control of the spirt.
"I saw you memories of Egypt when you lost. There was silence the spirt did not know what to say he just stayed silent while Ryou continued I lost my family too"
"What?" the spirt said unsure how to respond.
"I lost my mother and little sister in a car crash when I was eight. After they died my dad started to drown himself with work. We hardly talk any more hints why I live alone." Ryou said as he gestured around the general vicinity. He had never noticed that Ryou lived alone, or that it was unusual for someone his age to be on his own.
"That's why I want to help you" Ryou continued speaking brining the spirit out of his thoughts "I want to help set their souls free." The spirit was taken aback he did not expect it to be that easy to get Ryou to work with him "that is" great the sprit thought his host is going to put all kinds of conditions on how they can do anything making his hunt for the items impossible " if whatever else in in is the ring with you is really gone" the spirit felt Zorc attempting to take control of both him and Ryou again. The spirt was able to hold Zorc off as Ryou continued "We go after the puzzle last and you don't try and kill my friends when you do go after it." Zorc growled in the back of his mind he knew that Zorc would want to go after the puzzle first. He did to it was the Pharaohs Item if he had to pick any one of the items he wanted to see destroyed it was the puzzle. What Ryou was asking for was fair they could wait to get the puzzle. The spirt agreed to the terms despite Zorc objections. After the spirit assured Ryou that the dark entity in the ring was gone Ryou began to where the ring again.
The two began to research the possible locations of the millennium items after sometime They discovered that Maximiin Pegasus had the millinume eye. Bakura desiding to use the dullest kingdom tornament as cover. Ryou did not oppose the to him killing peaguses after everything the man did to his friends.
After that there was a long stretch were the could find no leads till one day Ryou saw tea in the town square telling him how someone had stolen the puzzle. Bakura had a hunch that a holder of a millennium item was behind this. Using the ring he found the puzzle and helped yugi foil the thiefs plans. Making a quick exit to try and catch the person who dare interfered with his plans.
He was able to cut off the perpetrator in an alleyway Bakura blocked the bikes path foricing him to stop. A blond hair boy steped off the bike demanding to know who he was. The plan had been to threaten the upstart and still the item he possessed. He had not been expecting to be the one who was threatened first. He was even surprised when he actually gave the brat the name Bakura. he guessed after pretending to be Ryou for so long he began to thing of the name as his own. After the two argued for a few minutes they decided that it would be more benifitual for the two of them to work together.
When Bakura went to Marik's to discuss plans it was no surprise that he began arguing with Marik again. Bakura got so furious he slammed Marik into the wall. Marik was unphased by the act of aggression and gave Bakura that irritating smirk of his.
Before he know what was happening Marik had closed the gap between them and was kissing him. Bakura's brain seemed to have shut down from the shock. Marik took advantage of Bakura's confused state to move them over to the bed. Taking to opportunity to straddle Bakura. When Bakura's brain came too he realized that he had been kissing Marik back out of pure instinct. He let out a small moan of pleasure as Marik slipped he hands under his shirt.
"What do you think you are doing" Zorc growled from the back of his mind.
"If he thinks this is a thing then he will be easier to manipulate and get the items." Bakura answered back with the part of his mind that was not preoccupied with making out with Marik. The excuse was paper thin and Bakura knew that Zorc knew but for whatever reason the dark god decided to argue with the logic. Bakura could not bring himself to care not with Marik on top of him. Marik pulled Bakura's shirt over his head and began trailing kisses down his torso. Bakura moved his hands to unbutton Marik pants but he hesitated for a moment. Ryou could sence Rou giving him a small nod from where he was watching from his soul room, and that was all of the permission that Bakura needed as he undid the button and pulled down Marik's pants. After their trist in bed the two of them got to actually discussing a plan for working together. In exchange for the millinum rod and the necklace Bakura would help Marik defeat the pharaoh to get the puzzle and after he was done with it he would give it to Bakura. They needed to get Marik in to Yugi's circle of friends. Bakura disided that the quickest way of doing this was staging some sort of attack that Marik would help him. While being "rescued" they would arrange to run into the friend squad instantly earning there trust. Marik try and kidnap some of yugis friend and use them to defeat yugi after getting in the group. Bakura pointed out that that would only give them one shot to defeat yugi. There would be no point in gaining his trust if he was going to do something like that he would have to keep his cover. Marik conceded the point they desided to wait to enact any plans. Marik would keep a low profile while they tryed to find any weaknesses that could be exploited while he ironed out his plan. While they bided their time the two of them continued to meet up to plan the destruction of the paharo for the most part ryou stayed quite during these meeting only speaking up when a plan went to far to potentially putting his friends in danger. Much to the annoyance of marik an Zorc an of cours at nearly every one of these meetings the two of them would sleep together. This was to the annoyance of Zorc, he hated how much time the two spent together despite all of Bakuras reasurances that this was only to lull Marik into a false sence of security. Zorc still just wanted to straight up steal the rod but bakura would remind him that they had no clue where the necklace was and it would be there best bet at getting it. This lasted about a month till seto kiba announced that he was going to host his own tornement they desided to use the tornement as a spring board for his plan and challenge the parho all of his hunters lost but those were inconiquential to him his real plan was the one that he came up with with bakura. They would gain the trust yugi and his friends by having Marik help Bakura after he was attacked. Marik would then have his rare hunters kidnap tea and Joey. The plan was to have joey to duel the pharaoh while under mind control the loser being dragged down into the see while using tèa as leverage to ensure that none of the friendship squad interfered. Ryou had demanded that there be no actual danger to his friends. To wich Marik and bakura reluctantly agreed to. The anchor that would be chained to both of yugi and Joey's fee could never drop. The timer just being there for show. It was the threat that was improtand in this dule any way. The plan had almost worked too they had almost defeated the pharaoh but right before the last move Joey broke the mind control and the friendship squad some how managed to almost kill both of them when they attempted to destroy the timer that the anchor was attached to actually causing both of them to be dragged into the ocean Marik would have found it hallarious if they didn't imedatly figure out away to gave them Marik was pissed he was going to have to fall back on his back up plan of using Bakura to defeat the pharoh and get back the god card that he lost which he told Bakura when he did a mind link while the other boy was in the hospital getting treated for his stab wound. To Bakura surprised Zorc did not instantly back at Marik order to go get the 6 locator card to get in the finals. He suspected it was because the dark god was actually happy to have an exuse to fight the pharho "that might accidently get him killed without bakura or the host putting up much fight with situation. When bakura dueled bones he was more vindicted than he needed to be he didn't really needed to . sending them to the shadow realm might have been over kill but he had to do in he had to appease Zorc in all the small ways that he could lest the dark god break though his and Ryou barriers aginst him and completely take control agin. He could feel them becoming strained all it would take was one pissed off tantrum from Zorc and would be lost. The first round of the final was between him and the pharho wich was fine by him the sooner he could defeated the pharoh the better. He was one turn away from wining when the pharoh summoned sliffer Marik had attempted to intevine by having his brother pretending to be him "sever" his connected to ryou claming that the shock of the attack might kill Ryou in order to sell this gambit Bakura really did have to give back control to Ryou. While he was in contoal Ryou's Body he took most of the brunt of the stabing he had done to himself . now that Ryou was in control the woud reopened and blood began to rush out. Ryou become light headed form blood loss and fell to his knees bakura watch from blood loss and fell to his knees bakura watch form the back of Ryou mind at the the shocked expression on the pharohs face as he watch his friend in was vagly aware of Marik talk to him in his mind using the rod, but Bakura wasn't paying attentiokn. He watched as ths pharos expression changed from one of concerned to determination. He knew he was going to attack. Bakura was conserved at what would happened if the pharho did that. Marik know that he was more right than Bakura would admit about that blast killing Ryou at the very least Ryou would be dead from blood loss in a matter of minuts. He knew that he had no choice but to take back control form Ryou forfiing the duel. The pharoh attack sending him into a coma.
Time passed slowly inside the ring the dark void that he stood in with his hands tied behind his back distorted his perception. He couldn't be sure if it had been hours or days since his duel with Yugi on Kiba's blimp.
All that Bakura was knew was that ever since he lost the duel Zorc had been rampaging. It was so much like a child throwing a temper tantrum that Bakura wanted to laugh. He would have to if not for the fact that it would turn Zorc to him.
"He handed you the pharaoh on a silver platter, and what do you do you throw it away." Zorc screamed picking up Bakura by the throat. Bakura struggled against the restraints that held his arm twisting and withering in the dark gods grip. Bakura kicked his legs at Zorc's chest. Zorc laughed at his feeble attempt to get free. Zorc dropped Bakura down on the ground. The thief fell to his knees he slumped forward coughing his forehead touching the black void that constituted a floor inside the ring.
"d…t …. Tr-st..Pha-o." Bakura said between gasp of air
"What?" Zorc growled. Looming over Bakura
"I didn't trust the pharaoh not to attack Ryou." Bakura said finally catching his breath looking up at Zorc red eyes. Zorc leaned down grabbing a fist full of white hair.
"Since when do we care about that insect." Zorc whispered in Bakura's ear . The spirit winced at the pain
"He's not an insect we need him for our plans." Zorc growled at this to protest the point "Do you like being stuck inside the ring? I'm not wasting my best chance for revenge because you have some vendetta against Ryou." Zorc throw Bakura to the ground again and stood up.
"Ever since your host should up you've gone soft." Bakura looked up from where he laid flat on his stomach looking up at Zorc.
"I stabbed him because I've gone soft." Bakura spat out. Zorc got down on one knee and grabbed the thief by the chin.
"You took the brunt of that, and now your fooling around with that tomb keeper." Zorc stop Bakura had tried to pull himself out of Zorc's grasp. The dark god responded jerking Bakura's head forward tightening his grip before he continued. "Since then you've been ignoring my plans and doing whatever that bastards ask you."
"It's all part of my plan to get rod and the neckless."
"If that's the only thing why don't I just kill him and take the rod?"
"Don't you dare!" Bakura yelled and he regretted it as soon as he saw the smirk form on Zorc's face. Before Bakura could do any damage control his conscience was pulled out of the ring. He found himself sitting on the bed of his soul room. He turned throwing his legs off the side of the bed
Bakura felt his consioness being placed back into Ryou's body into Ryou was still passed out form the duel. Bakura took over there body knowing that the only one who would give them back the ring would be marik. Coming back into the physical world was disorinaing he forgot ho cramped into being in the ring with zorc was. Ryou being the longest host he had. Bakura sat up to see Marik standing there, to his surprise it was tea her eyes glowing from Marik mind control" to good to show up in person now" Bakura put ever bit of irritation he could into the statement. Trying to prove to zorc that he didn't care about the fool in form of him. Their was a brief moment of shock on Marik face before it turned into irritation. At him forgot "I don't know what I was thingking asking you for help. Marik turned around to walk away . without thinking Bakura jumped out of the bed and grabed Marik wrist. "what's wrong" "I said forget it". Bakura could feel Marik shaking has he held his wrist. "and I said tell me what the fuck is going on." "you wouldn't help me any way I should have gone to mysister in the first placed". Marik was going to ask his sister for help that he avoided four year. What the fuck was going on the now you trust your sister to do something for you she's going to drag you back under ground." "I'll die other wise" "what" "my darkside is going to killing odion to destroy the protection spell that is keeping me alive then he's going to kill isizu/" Marik tried to pull his still shaking arm away form him. Bakura tightened his grip. Marik had looked at him whil he spole but the trimer in his voice and that he was willing to go back under ground convered just how terafied Marik really was "I help you save them." Like hell you will " Zorc shouted in his mind we are doning this Marik must have read the silence as he argued with Zorc as him reconsdereing his offer to help. Marik took in a breath before sayin for you to beable to open the door to darkness you going to need read the sincrition on my back" "is that enough to enough to convince you?" "we don't need the remant to be alive to get that information Make a deal with the new marik upstart and let him do as he pleast. "Zorc I swear" Bakura started but Zorc Why are being so persistant, The Mortal mean something to you" there was a dark edge to zorcs comment he already knew the answer. Even if Marik as able to survived his other half zorc would kill him himself you let me help him I'll never see him aging agin and after I finished setting up for the final shadow game I let you have control.
Ryou sat in his soul room watching Bakura duel with Mariks dark half. He gave a heavy sigh as Bakura once agin began bickering with Marik agin. He knew how close those two had become of the past few month. Despite how bakura tried to deine it. It upset him to see the two lash out at each other. When Yami Marik summoned RA he knew it was over he closed his eye as he waited to be pulled into the shadows. He felt everything shift around him a bone chilling atmosphere surrounding him
"So what should we do with the spoils now that we won?" Ryou heard a booming voice ask sarcasm dripping off of every word barely masking the fury that was under it. Ryou opened his eyes seeing a black giant. Who's red eyes were glaring down at bakura
"We still have our spoil." The deal was to help there was never any contention on us winning." Know how Bakura could stand in front of this created with that cocky sneer he was wearing. Ryou gulped this was a mistake as it drew the giant's attention away from Bakura and turned it to him. A dark smile crept to the creature's face Ryou took a steep back out of fear.
"Zork don't" bakura yelled as zorc shrank to a human size clamping his clawed hand around Ryou's throat. "If you kill him were stuck here" Zorc turned his gaze away from Ryou to growl at Bakura not loosening his grip. "besides." Bakura said still trying to pull Zork off him "I would have thought that you would have wanted to explore the puzzle since were not tied to the ring." This made zorc lossened his grip
"Always with the Quick excuse to save your then."
"I'm just being pragmatic." Bakura short back Zorc gave a humerless laugh at this before vanishing. Ryou began coughing for air rolling on to his side. Bakura had put a tentative hand on Ryou's back unsure of what to do after another bout of coughing Ryou's breathing returned to normal
"What was that?" He looked at bakura he could practly see the wheel turing in his mind as he desided how much he should reveal
"Zorc necrophare the dark god that is intermed with the ring. Ryou nodded it made since he had often thought he felt a darker presence with in the ring. Ryou looked around the dark void it felt so empty. This contradicted the suffocating felling the dark purple billows of smoke that sounded him. The contradiction between the vast emptiness and claustrophobia made him want to throw up. He nearly did as he continued to look around. "Don't focus on anything for too long or you will start to hallucinate" Bakura warned Ryou turned back to Bakura at the warning
"Where is marik."
" I guess he is using in conection to teas soul to stay rooted in the real world."
"don't do that don't pretentd your some heartless bastard."
"I am"
Ryou shock his head "you are an ashole I'll grant you that but your not heartless" bakura looked at him like he was crazy
"what have I ever done to make you think that?"
"you took over during the dule with Yugi."
"If you die then I'm stuck in the ring for who knows how long." Bakura said too quickly like it was a rehered excuse than a ligitiment explanation. Ryou desided
"Yet you sacrificed yourself trying to help Marik."
"I'm just trying to manipulate him so I can get the items."
"So all the sex is just a bonus."
"Why do you fucking care". Bakura snarled Ryou took a deep breath thinking.
He couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy for the spirt. He wanted to help the spirts trapped within the items. As bad as things had started with bakura he understood the motivation, that there was good in the spirt. Ryou stated to see more of that when he was around marik ironicly enough.
Ryou knew the spirt cared about the egitain , but continued to act allofe he had not understood why. seeing Zorc was making several pieses fall together and Ryou felt that if he could just get the spirt to talk then maybe just maybe he could figure out a way to save everyone. That was what he had hoped but the bastard was being as stuborn as ever.
"I just using him to get what I need"
" seems like you your getting the bad end of the deal."
Bakura shrugged "does it matter so long a I get the items."
Ryou raised his eye brows " so all of the sex is just a bonus."
"Its just sex." Ryou sighed so he was going to Make him pull his trump card "I can sence any strong emotions that yoy have while your in control, and you fell a lot of things when your around marik
" yes irritation anoyancs." If that is all you fell then why stay up and stare at him after he falls asleep."
"The silence broke Bakura lunged at Ryou wraping thing pale finger around his throat.
"shut up!" Bakura growled slow and quietly the mad glint in his eye more terrifying thatn zorc.
"you both mean nothing to me ." Ryou was able to send a current of elctrity though his hand making bakura roll off of him in pain. Were did all fo that anger come form Ryou caught his breath.
"Why do you keep lying "
" Ryou" the sound of bakuras voice mad Ryou stop in his track "Please just stop" "Ryou placed a gentle hand on bakuras shoulders
"please just help me understand whats going on whith you"
"Zorc right Im letting mypeople down by distractin my self with Marik." He thinks that getting rid of him will get us back on track." Bakura did not look him in the eye as he spoke
" what are you oning to tell Marik when you get back. "Nothing" bakura to was short and even now Im not going to see him agin"
"wait your just going to walk away just like that."
"whats the point Im not walking out of this alive anyway."
"The only thing that my seeing him agin might accomplish is getting him killed hes going to think Im gon right now why make him go though that twice."
Ryou took a deep breath "alrigh Ill tell him that your dead just do me a favor."
"What?" Bakura asked his cold clare filled with suspion Ryou gave the sprit a mistuvious grin
"Ill ask for it latter."
Bakura laughed "And they say you're the nice one."
.